Expectations for the pork exchange

Ho Chi Minh City has recently launched a pilot program for a B2B pork trading platform, directly connecting businesses with each other. After initial sessions with sporadic transactions, the number has gradually increased. This model not only creates a new trading channel but also aims to reorganize the city's essential food market towards a modern, transparent, and safe model.

The exchange was piloted amidst heightened public concern over food safety issues. In Ho Chi Minh City alone, 13,000 to 14,000 pigs are consumed daily, representing a market worth over 25 trillion VND annually. This is the largest food source in the city's diet.

However, the majority of meat still circulates through a long intermediate chain, from farms, traders, slaughterhouses, wholesale markets, and then to retailers and consumers. The more layers there are in the supply chain, the greater the risk of quality contamination and the more difficult it becomes to hold people accountable when problems occur.

Therefore, the establishment of the exchange is expected to contribute to market transparency. The goods traded are primarily slaughtered pork cuts that meet standards, undergo veterinary control, and have clear traceability information. Sellers and buyers conduct transactions electronically, with prices publicly listed instead of primarily negotiating directly as has been the case in traditional wholesale markets. With standardized and continuously updated information, the market gains another reference point for price and quality, making buying and selling more transparent.

Unlike the quick transactions in traditional markets, where prices are often determined by personal connections and experience, the exchange is data-driven. Each shipment includes information about the farm, slaughterhouse, quarantine period, and control standards. As every transaction is recorded in the system, the market gradually establishes a clear reference price for the entire supply chain, from farmers to distributors.

For livestock farmers, the exchange opens up a more stable and transparent market access pathway. To list their products on the exchange, farms must adhere to safe farming practices, undergo full quarantine, and ensure traceability. This puts pressure on the livestock industry to gradually shift towards professional production, reducing dependence on intermediary traders. Slaughterhouses must upgrade hygiene conditions and complete veterinary control documentation if they want to participate in the new supply chain.

While not a magic wand that can instantly change the market landscape, the pork exchange is a crucial element in increasing transparency in the livestock industry. Given that wholesale markets and small-scale trading networks still play a vital role in residential areas, the establishment of the exchange will systematically realize the "from farm to table" journey.

Accordingly, the platform plays a central role in the supply chain, directly connecting with supermarkets and traditional distribution systems, making it easier for consumers to identify and trust clean products. For this value chain to operate effectively, every link from input to output must be strictly controlled, and the mixing of counterfeit goods must be resolutely addressed to guarantee food safety. Simultaneously, post-inspection from slaughtering to distribution needs to be further tightened to completely eliminate the breeding ground for contaminated meat.

THI HONG

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/ky-vong-san-giao-dich-thit-heo-post848243.html